ALBUM NOTES:

Savage Gestures for Charms Sake is a 6 track mini album of instrumentals issued on the Cocteau Records label. Initially issued on vinyl (with free art poster) and cassette, this mini-album was Nelson's first commercial release issued since the Mercury deal had lapsed. It was comprised of five outtakes from The Love That Whirls sessions, and one track of Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam vintage.

 

PAST RELEASES:

When Savage Gestures for Charms Sake appeared on CD (Cocteau, 1987), it was coupled with Chimera for the UK market, and later given its own stand-alone release in the US (Enigma, 1989).

 

CURRENT AVAILABILITY:

Currently this mini-album is out of print, but will be made available as a digital download at some point in the future.

BILL'S THOUGHTS:

 

"Watching My Dreamboat Go Down in Flames": "demonstrates how multiple e-bow overdubs can create an orchestral wall of sound. I almost always use the bridge pickup with my e-bow, but I apply the guitar's tone control to shave off the brighter edges, (though I open it up for contrast on some phrases). A foot volume/swell pedal can sometimes be useful for controlling the attack, giving a smooth initial fade-in to the note, but just sliding the e-bow on and off the pickup's 'hot spot' will increase and decrease the intensity and harmonic content of the sound too. The e-bow is a very expressive device when used with some sensitivity."


FAN THOUGHTS:

James Ellis:

"Contains the BEST Bill Nelson instrumental ever, "The Man in the Rexine Suit"."


stormboy:

"I really like the harder edge of "The Man in the Rexine Suit" as a starter, whilst "Portrait of Jan with Moon and Stars" is a sublime ending - one of Bill's best outings with the trusty ebow in my opinion."


John Izzard:

Forum Topic Question: Bill's Greatest Love Song?: 

 

"Portrait of Jan with Moon and Stars...Who needs words when music can whisper so deliciously as this?"


Mozo:

"As the years have passed, I find that if I have Das Kabinet, Trial By Intimacy (The Book of Splendours) and Savage Gestures for Charms Sake playing in the background, I seem to become more creative at anything that I happen to be doing, at the same time I'm listening. So I've come to appreciate the different facets of Bill's creativity all the more. Am I getting older (Brrr), mellowing, maturing?"

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